Video: Woman, 65, shoots at 5 masked robbers

The owner of a jewelry store saw men carrying weapons and grabbed a handgun she keeps for protection

By Denisse Salazar
The Orange County Register

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — Police are seeking the public's help in finding five men suspected of attempting to rob a jewelry store who fled when the owner fired two shots at them.

Officers about 5:30 p.m. Sunday were sent to investigate reports of an armed robbery at Continental Jewelry, 12032 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove police Lt. Jeff Nightengale said.

Officers learned a white Ford SUV backed up to the front of the business, and five men wearing masks and gloves entered the store, Nightengale said. Two of the men with handguns pointed them at the employees and a customer. The other men carried pillowcases and demanded money, he said.

The 65-year-old female owner saw the men were carrying weapons and grabbed a handgun she keeps in the store for protection, Nightengale said.

She fired two rounds at the men, causing them to run out of the store, Nightengale said. One of the armed men fired a round into the ceiling, but no injuries were reported, he said.

"She said she feared the suspects were going to shoot either the employees or the customer and felt she had to take action," Nightengale said. "Obviously the best thing to do is to cooperate so no one gets hurt."

The men, described as being in their 20s, fled in an SUV.

Nothing was stolen from the store, but the men took the customer's cellphone.

Investigators are trying to determine if a robbery attempt at the Asian Garden Mall on Monday, where a jewelry store owner shot a suspect in the face, may be connected to Sunday's robbery.

Anyone with information about the robbery is urged to call Investigator Chris Wasinger at 714-741-5800.

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